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Hot flushes could be relieved by listening to recordings that induce hypnosis from home, rather than having to venture to a clinic

Being born with two X chromosomes brings a host of health benefits, and recognising this could lead to personalised medical treatments for men and women

Being born with two X chromosomes brings a host of health benefits, and recognising this could lead to personalised medical treatments for men and women

High-voltage copper plates can remove up to three-quarters of frost from a surface, while using much less energy than conventional heating

High-voltage copper plates can remove up to three-quarters of frost from a surface, while using much less energy than conventional heating

In February, the James Webb Space Telescope will briefly be able to observe asteroid 2024 YR4, which currently has a 4 per cent chance of hitting the moon in 2032. Depending on what it sees, the odds of collision could drastically increase

In February, the James Webb Space Telescope will briefly be able to observe asteroid 2024 YR4, which currently has a 4 per cent chance of hitting the moon in 2032. Depending on what it sees, the odds of collision could drastically increase

For over a decade, mathematicians have failed to agree whether a 500-page proof is actually correct. Now, translating the proof into a computer-readable form may finally settle the matter

For over a decade, mathematicians have failed to agree whether a 500-page proof is actually correct. Now, translating the proof into a computer-readable form may finally settle the matter

Work continues on designs for robots that can help assist the first human explorers on the Moon in over half a century. One of the most important aspects of that future trip will be utilizing the resources available on the Moon’s surface, known as in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). This would give the explorers access to materials like water, structural metals, and propellant, but only if they can recover it from the rock and regolith that make up the Moon’s surface. A new paper from researchers mainly affiliated with Tohoku University describes the design and testing of a type of robot excavator that could one day assist lunar explorers in unlocking the world’s potential.

A planned supersized floating wind turbine with two spinning heads will generate nearly double the amount of energy as the current record-holder

Video: 00:12:53

Meet John McFall – Paralympian, medical doctor and member of ESA’s Astronaut Reserve. As part of ESA’s groundbreaking FLY initiative, John is helping prove that physical disability is no barrier to space. In this episode, he shares the results of a feasibility study showing no technical showstoppers for flying to the International Space Station with a prosthesis and talks about what’s next—from hardware certification and scientific proposals to astronaut reserve training and running in microgravity.

In this miniseries, we take you on a journey through the ESA Astronaut Reserve, diving into the first part of their Astronaut Reserve Training (ART) at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) near Cologne, Germany. Our “ARTists” are immersing themselves in everything from ESA and the International Space Station programme to the European space industry and institutions. They’re gaining hands-on experience in technical skills like spacecraft systems and robotics, alongside human behaviour, scientific lessons, scuba diving and survival training. 

ESA’s Astronaut Reserve Training programme is all about building Europe’s next generation of space explorers—preparing them for the opportunities of future missions in Earth orbit and beyond.

This interview was recorded in February 2025.

You can listen to this episode on all major podcast platforms.

Keep exploring with ESA Explores!

Eight possible cave openings found on the Martian surface look to have once had ancient streams flowing into them, suggesting they are promising places to look for evidence of life

Eight possible cave openings found on the Martian surface look to have once had ancient streams flowing into them, suggesting they are promising places to look for evidence of life

Aboard China's space station, astronauts have begun using a new hot air oven delivered by Shenzhou XXI to prepare freshly baked dishes, including chicken wings and steaks, as shown in a recent video from orbit.

As stars age, they expand. That’s bad news for planets orbiting close to their stars, according to a new study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society this month. The study suggests that planets closest to their stars, especially those that orbit their stars in just 12 days or less, are at a higher risk of being sent to their doom by their aging suns.

Insects have been travelling to space since 1947, but now they might become dinner for astronauts on missions to the Moon and Mars. A new European Space Agency study explores whether crickets and mealworms could provide sustainable protein for future space explorers, with research showing many species handle microgravity surprisingly well, even completing entire life cycles in orbit. Is it possible that these tiny creatures could become essential for humanity's expansion beyond Earth.

Two black hole collisions detected just a month apart last autumn are challenging our understanding of how they form. One merger features a black hole spinning backwards against its orbit while the other involves one of the fastest rotating black holes ever detected. These unusual properties suggest both are “second generation" black holes, products of earlier collisions formed in violent stellar environments. The precision measurements have also tested Einstein's general relativity changing not only our understanding of black holes but also our understanding of the cosmos.

Canada lost its official measles elimination status after a year of continuous transmission

When massive stars explode as supernovae, the powerful blast can send planets off into space where they drift as rogue or free-floating planets. But what happens to their moons? Can their natural satellites stay bound to these planets, and could tidal heating be a viable source of energy to fuel life on these moons?